Wizard blackjack analysis

ABSTRACT

Blackjack table of a type used in a casino. Has an imprint of a 5, 6, or 7 circles, Squares or customs spots. Blackjack can be dealt from one to eight decks of cards. Prior to the dealing of any cards, all players must make a wager up to the posted table limit. The dealer then deals himself and each player two cards. The dealer will expose one of his cards as the up card. The player&#39;s cards are dealt either face down if it&#39;s a hand held game, or face up if it&#39;s dealt from a multiple-deck shoe. The object of the game is to get as close to 21 as possible and beat the dealer. Twos through Nines count as their face value. Tens, Jacks, Queens and Kings count as 10. Aces can count as 1 or 11. An Ace and a 10-value card dealt on the first two cards are called a blackjack, which beats all other hands. The players are allow to bet that the dealer&#39;s final hand will be 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 or blackjack. Prior to the dealing of any cards, all players must make a mandatory blackjack wager up to the posted table limit. In addition to the blackjack wager, the player also has the option to make one or any combination of the six side bets: 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 or blackjack. The player&#39;s side bet wins if the dealer&#39;s final hand matches the player&#39;s prediction. If the dealer&#39;s hand busts or does not match the player&#39;s prediction the side bet loses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This Invention is in the general field of casino gaming and, more particularly, is a blackjack game where a player may place any of an increased number of bets.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Blackjack is a favorite gambling game of approximately eleven million American men and five million American women. Typically, five of every seven people seated at a blackjack table are men.

The blackjack table has a gaming layout made out of synthetic or wool blend cloth, with five, six or seven players positions where players laid their bets. Also there are different rules for blackjack, dealer must hit soft 17, dealer stand on all 17, blackjack pays 3 to 2 and insurance pays 2 to 1.

Blackjack can be dealt from one to eight decks of cards. Prior to the dealing of any card, all players must make a wager up to the posted table limit. The dealer then dealt himself and each player two cards. The dealer will expose one of his cards as the up card. The player's cards are dealt either face down if it's a hand held game, or face up if it's dealt from a multiple deck shoe.

The object of the game is to get as close to 21 as possible and beat the dealer. Twos through Nines count as their face value. Tens, Jacks, Queens and Kings count as 10. Aces can count as 1 or 11. An Ace and a 10-value card dealt on the first two cards are called a blackjack, which beats all other hands.

The availability of the above options may vary from casino to casino. For example, some would not allow surrender. Some would only allow doubling down on 9, 10 and 11 while others would allow doubling on any first two cards and after splitting.

If the dealer does not or cannot have a blackjack and the piayer has a blackjack, the player is paid 3 to 2 and his cards are put away immediately. Once all players have made their decisions, the dealer will reveal his hole card and play out his hand. The dealer must hit until he has either 17 or greater or busts. Depending on the house rules, some casinos require the dealer to stand on a soft 17, which is composed of at least one Ace and other cards that total either 7 or 17.

If the dealer busts, he must pay all bets even money except a blackjack which usually pays 3 to 2. If the dealer does not bust, then, starting with the player on his right, he must compare his hand with each player's hand in turn. Whoever has the higher total wins the bet. Winning bets are paid even money. Ties are pushes. Once the dealer has settled all bets, all cards dealt will be put away in a discard rack and a new round begins.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Wizard blackjack is a variation of blackjack. It features side bets that allow the player to bet that the dealer's final hand will be 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 or blackjack. Wizard Blackjack can be dealt from one to eight decks of cards. Prior to the dealing of any cards, all players must make a mandatory blackjack wager up to the posted table limit. In addition to the blackjack wager, the player also has the option to make one or any combination of the six side bets: 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 or blackjack. The player's side bet wins if the dealer's final hand matches the player's prediction. If the dealer's hand busts or does not match the player's prediction the side bet loses.

After all bets have been made, the dealer then deals himself and each player two cards. The dealer will expose one of his cards as the up card. The player's cards are dealt either face down if it's a hand held game, or face up if it's dealt from a multiple-deck shoe.

The object of the game is to get as close to 21 as possible and beat the dealer. Twos through Nines count as their face value. Tens, lacks, Queens and Kings count as 10. Aces can count as 1 or 11. An Ace and a 10-value card dealt on the first two cards are called a blackjack, which beats all other hands.

After looking at his first two cards, each player has the following options:

-   -   Stand—The player can stay put with his original two cards.     -   Hit—The player can draw as many cards as he wants as long as the         total is not over 21. If the hand total goes over 21, the hand         is said to bust and the player will lose his wager immediately.     -   Double down—The player can put up an additional bet no more than         his original wager and draw one and only one card.     -   Split—The player can split any pair into two separate hands with         an equal bet on each split hand. Usually pairs can be split         three times.     -   Surrender—The player can surrender and forfeit one half of his         wager.     -   Insurance—If the dealer has an Ace up card, then players can         take insurance against the dealer having a blackjack. The         insurance bet is one half of the player's wager. The dealer will         then check to see if he has a 10-value card underneath the Ace.         If he does, then all insurance bets are paid 2 to 1; otherwise,         all insurance bets lose.

The availability of the above options may vary from casino to casino. For example, some would not allow surrender. Some would only allow doubling down on 9, 10 and 11 while others would allow doubling on any first two cards and after splitting.

If the dealer does not or cannot have a blackjack and the player has a blackjack, the player is paid 3 to 2 and his cards are put away immediately. The Wizard side bet will remain in action whether or not the player busts or is dealt a blackjack.

Once all players have made their decisions, the dealer will reveal his hole card and play out his hand. The dealer must hit until he has either 17 or greater or busts. Depending on the house rules, some casinos require the dealer to stand on a soft 17, which is composed of at least one Ace and other cards that total either 7 or 17.

If the dealer busts, he must pay all blackjack bets even money except a blackjack which usually pays 3 to 2; he will also sweep all the Wizard side bets.

If the dealer does not bust, then, starting with the player on his right, he must compare his hand with each player's hand in turn and pay or collect the blackjack bet and the side bet(s) accordingly. Whoever has the higher total wins the blackjack bet. Winning blackjack bets are paid even money. Ties are pushes. The side bets are paid according to a pay table. Once the dealer has settled all bets, all cards dealt will be put away in a discard rack and a new round begins.

The Differences Between Wizard Blackjack and Standard Blackjack are Summarized Below:

-   -   (a) Optional side bets are offered in addition to the mandatory         blackjack bet. The side bets allow the player to predict the         dealer's final hand and win if it matches the player's         prediction. The payoff odds vary with the bet the player makes.     -   (b) Should there be no blackjack bets remaining in the current         round, as long as there is at least one Wizard side bet the         dealer must play out his hand if it is not 17 or greater.         The side bets do not change the optimal playing strategy.         Wizard Blackjack Rules of Play

Prior to the deal of the game, the player has the option of placing one or any combination of the six Wizard side bets in addition to the mandatory blackjack bet. The dealer then deals everyone two cards and reveals his up card. The player now can hit, stand, double down or split as they would in regular blackjack.

-   -   (a) If the player busts, the dealer will collect the player's         blackjack bet and cards but the Wizard side bet remains in         action.     -   (b) If the player is dealt a blackjack and the dealer, after         checking his hole card, does not have a blackjack, the dealer         will pay the player and put away his cards but the Wizard side         bet remains in action.

After all players have made their decisions, the dealer reveals his hole card and hits until he has 17 or more or busts. If the dealer busts, all Wizard side bets lose. If the dealer doesn't bust, the Wizard side bet will be paid according to the pay tables below. Note that if there are no blackjack bets remaining because all players have busted out and/or received a blackjack, as long as there are Wizard bets, the dealer must complete his hand, if not 17 or greater.

Wizard Blackjack Pay Tables

(All payouts are “to 1”) Pay Bets H1 S1 S2 17 6 5 5 18 5 5 5 19 6 6 6 20 4 4 4 21 11 12 11 Blackjack 18 18 18 Pay table H1 is to be used with the dealer hitting a soft 17 (hereafter H17). Pay tables S1 and S2 are to be used with the dealer standing on a soft 17 (hereafter S17). Mathematical Analysis

A computer program was developed to calculate the probabilities of the dealer's hand reaching 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and blackjack. The probability distribution of the various dealer final hands is given below for different number of decks: 1 deck Bets S17 H17 17 14.5830 13.4441 18 13.8063 13.9694 19 13.4820 13.6757 20 17.5806 17.7783 21 7.3630 7.5574 Blackjack 4.8265 4.8265 # Cards S17 H17 2 decks 17 14.5482 13.3854 18 13.8780 14.0601 19 13.4132 13.6104 20 17.8058 18.0050 21 7.3168 7.5148 Blackjack 4.7797 4.7797 4 decks 17 14.5305 13.3558 18 13.9138 14.1054 19 13.3796 13.5786 20 17.9162 18.1163 21 7.2947 7.4942 Blackjack 4.7566 4.7566 6 decks 17 14.5245 13.3459 18 13.9258 14.1205 19 13.3685 13.5682 20 17.9527 18.1531 21 7.2874 7.4874 Blackjack 4.7489 4.7489 8 decks 17 14.5215 13.3409 18 13.9318 14.1280 19 13.3629 13.5630 20 17.9709 18.1714 21 7.2838 7.4841 Blackjack 4.7451 4.7451 House Advantages (%)

Given the above probability distribution charts, the house advantages (%) can be determined below: Pay Table H1 # Decks Bets 1 2 4 6 8 17 5.89 6.30 6.51 6.58 6.61 18 16.18 15.64 15.37 15.28 15.23 19 4.27 4.73 4.95 5.02 5.06 20 11.11 9.98 9.42 9.23 9.14 21 9.31 9.82 10.07 10.15 10.19 Blackjack 8.30 9.19 9.62 9.77 9.84

Pay Table S1 # Decks Bets 1 2 4 6 8 17 12.50 12.71 12.82 12.85 12.87 18 17.16 16.73 16.52 16.45 16.41 19 5.63 6.11 6.34 6.42 6.46 20 12.10 10.97 10.42 10.24 10.14 21 4.28 4.88 5.17 5.26 5.31 Blackjack 8.30 9.19 9.62 9.77 9.84

Pay Table S2 # Decks Bets 1 2 4 6 8 17 12.50 12.71 12.82 12.85 12.87 18 17.16 16.73 16.52 16.45 16.41 19 5.63 6.11 6.34 6.42 6.46 20 12.10 10.97 10.42 10.24 10.14 21 11.64 12.20 12.46 12.55 12.59 Blackjack 8.30 9.19 9.62 9.77 9.84

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The sole FIGURE herein is plan view of the top of a blackjack table that carries an imprint of a blackjack layout with betting spots in according with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in the drawing, a blackjack table of a type in a casino. Has an imprint of a 5, 6, 7 circles, squares or customs betting spots. On the table in front of your position, you'll find a circle 100 or box for your bets. Before each hand begins, place your desired bet into the circle in one stack. Once the cards have been dealt, you aren't allowed to touch the bet in the circle.

The step 101 is call insurance box. If the dealer turns an up-card of an ace, he will offer “insurance” to the players. Insurance bets can be made by betting up to half your original bet amount in the insurance betting box in front of your bet.

Step 102 casino rules, Blackjack pays 3 to 2. A blackjack, or natural, is a total of 21 in your first two cards. A blackjack is therefore an Ace and any ten-valued card, with the additional requirement that these be your first two cards, winning blackjack pays the players odds of 3 to 2.

Step 103 how the dealer plays his hand. The dealer must play his hand in a specific way, with no choices allowed. There are two popular rule variations that determine what totals the dealer must draw to. In any given casino, you can tell which rule is in effect by looking at the blackjack table top. It should be clearly labeled with one of these rules: Dealer stands on all 17's or Dealer hits soft 17.

Step 104 Wizard Blackjack side bet betting spots. It features side bets that allow the player to bet that the dealer's final hand will be 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, or a blackjack. All players must make a mandatory blackjack wager up to the posted table limit. In addition to the blackjack wager, the player also has the option to make one or any combination of the six side bets: 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, or BJ. The player's side bet wins if the dealer's hand does match the player's prediction. If the dealer's hand does not match the player's prediction the side bet loses.

Step 105 payouts table for wizard blackjack. Wizard Blackjack side bets will be paid according to the pay table 105. Per sample is a player predict that the dealer's final hand will be 21 and the dealer get 21 the player will get pay 11to1. Players can look at the payouts table to see how much each bet will pay.

Step 106 payouts table for WIZARD BLACKJACK at the dealer side. When a player wins the dealer can see the payout table to pay the players winning hands. 

1. Wizard Blackjack is a variation of blackjack. It features side bets that allow the player to bet that the dealer's final hand will be 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 or blackjack. Wizard Blackjack can be dealt from one to eight decks of cards. Prior to the dealing of any cards, all players must make a mandatory blackjack wager up to the posted table limit. In addition to the blackjack wager, the player also has the option to make one or any combination of the six side bets: 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 or blackjack. The player's side bet wins if the dealer's final hand matches the player's prediction. If the dealer's hand busts or does not match the player's prediction the side bet loses. After all bets have been made, the dealer then deals himself and each player two cards. The dealer will expose one of his cards as the up card. The player's cards are dealt either face down if it's a hand held game, or face up if it's dealt from a multiple-deck shoe. The object of the game is to get as close to 21 as possible and beat the dealer. Twos through Nines count as their face value. Tens, lacks, Queens and Kings count as
 10. Aces can count as 1 or
 11. An Ace and a 10-value card dealt on the first two cards are called a blackjack, which beats all other hands. Once all players have made their decisions, the dealer will reveal his hole card and play out his hand. The dealer must hit until he has either 17 or greater or busts. Depending on the house rules, some casinos require the dealer to stand on a soft 17, which is composed of at least one Ace and other cards that total either 7 or
 17. If the dealer busts, he must pay all blackjack bets even money except a blackjack which usually pays 3 to 2; he will also sweep all the Wizard side bets. If the dealer does not bust, then, starting with the player on his right, he must compare his hand with each player's hand in turn and pay or collect the blackjack bet and the side bet(s) accordingly. Whoever has the higher total wins the blackjack bet. Winning blackjack bets are paid even money. Ties are pushes. The side bets are paid according to a pay table. Once the dealer has settled all bets, all cards dealt will be put away in a discard rack and a new round begins. The differences between Wizard Blackjack and standard blackjack are summarized below: (a) Optional side bets are offered in addition to the mandatory blackjack bet. The side bets allow the player to predict the dealer's final hand and win if it matches the player's prediction. The payoff odds vary with the bet the player makes. (b) Should there be no blackjack bets remaining in the current round, as long as there is at least one Wizard side bet the dealer must play out his hand if it is not 17 or greater. The side bets do not change the optimal playing strategy. Wizard Blackjack Rules of Play Prior to the deal of the game, the player has the option of placing one or any combination of the six Wizard side bets in addition to the mandatory blackjack bet. The dealer then deals everyone two cards and reveals his up card. The player now can hit, stand, double down or split as they would in regular blackjack. (a) If the player busts, the dealer will collect the player's blackjack bet and cards but the Wizard side bet remains in action. (b) If the player is dealt a blackjack and the dealer, after checking his hole card, does not have a blackjack, the dealer will pay the player and put away his cards but the Wizard side bet remains in action. After all players have made their decisions, the dealer reveals his hole card and hits until he has 17 or more or busts. If the dealer busts, all Wizard side bets lose. If the dealer doesn't bust, the Wizard side bet will be paid according to the pay tables below. Note that if there are no blackjack bets remaining because all players have busted out and/or received a blackjack, as long as there are Wizard bets, the dealer must complete his hand, if not 17 or greater. 